Apparatus for making wheel covers



July 22, 1958 LYON 2,844,115

APPARATUS FOR MAKINQ WHEEL COVERS Original File d Dec. 18, 1947 2Sheets-Sheet 1 i u L 35 62 arye A/er/Zyah July 22,1958 G. A. LYON2,844,115

7 APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Original FiledDec. 18, 1947 lZ K/Efii Ur Geo/:75 A Mrarfl 90/1 Unitcd States Patent 6APPARATUS FOR MAKING WHEEL COVERS George Albert Lyon, Detroit, Mich.

Original application December 18, 1947, Serial No. 792,511. Divided andthis application July 17, 1953, Serial No. 368,735

2 Claims. (Cl. 113-49) The present application is a division of Lyonapplication Serial No. 792,511, filed December 18, 1847, now abandoned.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for making wheelcovers and more particularly covers of the type which are adapted to bemounted on the outer side of automobile wheels for protective anddecorative purposes.

An important object of the present invention is to improve themanufacture of automobile wheel covers of the type wherein separate trimring and hub cap members are assembled upon a wheel to provide acomposite, attractive cover.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of improvedapparatus for making a wheel cover component, and more especially a trimring wheel cover component.

Another feature of the invention resides in forming the outer margin ofa trim ring with groups of retaining finger projections bent intoconcealing relation behind the trim ring.

According to other general features of the invention, there is providedapparatus for beading the outer margin of a vehicle wheel cover memberand simultaneously bending a series of cover retaining fingers intoconcealed position behind the cover, the apparatus comprising asupporting die having a peripheral formation approaching to within ashort distance of the outer marginal extremity of the cover member andshaped to receive the portion of the cover member radially inwardly fromsaid marginal extremity in closely conforming relation, and curling diemechanism cooperative with said supporting die to form the bead andsimultaneously bend said retaining fingers into concealed positionbehind the cover, said supporting die peripheral portions havingsections thereof cut out to provide clearance for the inward swinging ofthe fingers as they are bent into their ultimate position behind thecover member.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a vehicle wheel having thereon acover made according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged radial sectional view taken substantially on theline II--II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary rear elevational view of the trim ringcomponent of the cover;

Figure 4 is a diametrical sectional view through the trim ring componentshowing the same in a state of partial completion;

Figure 5 is a diametrical sectional view of the trim ring componentsubstantially the same as Figure 4 and showing the same in the apparatusfor completing the fabrication thereof; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to Figure 5 but and a trim ringcomponent 17 (Figs. 1 and 2);

showing the forming apparatus at the moment of completion of fabricationtherein of the trim ring component.

A wheel cover of the type with which the present invention is concernedcomprises a hub cap component 15 The assembly is adapted to be appliedto a vehicle wheel which includes a load sustaining wheel body 18supporting a tire rim 19 which in turn is adapted to support a pneumatictire and tube assembly 20.

The wheel body 18 may be of the kind described in my Patent No.2,445,330, issued July 20, 1948, and includes an intermediate annularaxially outwardly protruding reinforcing nose bulge 21 defining acentral bolton flange 22 and formed with a radially outwardly facingannular shoulder 23 which is provided at predetermined annularly spacedpoints with radially outwardly protruding cover retaining bumps 24.

The hub cap member 15 is provided at its margin with a generally axiallyextending marginal flange 25 which is of greater internal diameter thanthe major circle described by the tips of the retaining bumps 24. Theinner extremity of the marginal flange 25 is formed with a reinforcinginturned bead 27 which is of a slightly smaller inner diameter than theminimum circle described about bumps 24, that is at the axially innersides of the bumps where they dip radially inwardly to aiford aretaining overhang, but said inner diameter of the bead is larger thanthe maximum diameter of the shoulder 23. A secure resilient snap-onpry-off relation is attained by pressing the hub cap 15 axially inwardlyto force the head 27 over the retaining bumps 24.

The tire rim 19 is of the conventional drop center type having aplurality of stepped flanges including an intermediate generally axiallyoutwardly and slightly radially outwardly slanting intermediate flange29 and a generally radially outwardly and axially outwardly turnedterminal flange 30.

The trim ring component 17 is dimensioned and shaped to substantiallycover the tire rim 19 and the adjacent portion of the Wheel body 18substantially to the shoulder 23. To this end, the trim ring member 17is formed of generally arcuate channel shape to dip annularly into therelatively large outwardly opening annular groove present between thewheel body 18 and the tire rim 19. At its outer margin the trim ringmember 17 is formed with an underturned edge defining a hollowreinforcing and finishing head 31 which is adapted to rest against theshoulder at the juncture between the tire rim flanges 29 and 30 inassembly of the trim ring with the tire rim.

For retaining the trim ring 17 on the wheel, a plurality of retainingfingers 32 is formed at the outer margin of the trim ring, herein asintegral extensions of the outer edge which is turned under in the head31. Herein the fingers 32 are formed as a plurality of narrow elongatedprojections comprising a series of predetermined number in a group and aplurality of groups, such as four groups equidistantly spaced about themargin of the trim ring are provided. Each of the fingers 32 includes abody extension 33 which lies against the inner surface of the trim ring,and projects generally radially and axially inwardly, and a retaining,wedging, biting finger terminal 34 which extends from the inner end ofthe body portion 33 in a generally radially outwardly and axiallyoutwardly slanting direction and in assembly with the wheel enters intowedging, biting engagement with the tire rim inter mediate flange 29.

At its radially inner margin, the trim ring member 17 is formed with aflattened radially inwardly extending margin 35 having an inner diameterwhich will clear the cover retaining bumps 24 but which is less than theout- .from the shoulder 23 and-with the margin 25 of the hub cap 15overlapping the flange to conceal 'the juncture of the hub cap with thetrim ring, and also to hold the inner marginal flange 35 tightly inplace against rattling.

Since the trim ring flange 35 bears against the wheel body 18, a pry-ofitool inserted between the flange 35 and the hub cap bead 27 fordislodging the hub cap 15 will have no detrimental or damaging effectupon the flange .35.

Intermediate the outer marginal turned edge or rib 31 and the innermarginal flanges 35 there is provided a principal body portion 37 ofdished, concave cross section.

In making the trim ring 17, certain preliminary steps involved in theshaping of a sheet metal blank in the formation of the trim ring havebeen omitted from the present application as unnecessary. However, asshown in Fig. 4, in a partially completed form, the trim ring 17 has thebead portion 31 fairly open and the finger extensions 33 extendingaxially inwardly relative to the outer face of the trim ring andsubstantially spaced from the adjacent area of the dished body portion37.

Then, the open bead portion 31 is curled inwardly and the fingerextensions 33 are bent back toward substantially abutting relation tothe adjacent convex surface of the trim ring body 37. This isaccomplished in apparatus as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 including asupporting or anvil die member 46 mounted on a base 41 and adapted tosupport the partially completed trim ring 17, a hold down die 42 forholding the trim ring in place on the anvil die 40, and a curling diemember 43 by which curling of the bead is completed. The anvil die maybe in ring form as shown and has the trim ring supporting surfacethereof contoured as shown at 44 to engage the inner side of the trimring in close conformity, with an outer marginal ridge 45 terminatingshort of the ultimate axially inward extent of the finished edge head31.

The hold down die member 32 may also be of ring form and has a trim ringengaging surface 47 which is complementary to and closely engages theouter surface of the trim ring and clamp the trim ring against the anvildie member 40. At its outer periphery 48 the hold down die ring 42 is ofa diameter slightly greater than the original diameter described by theradially inner side of the bend 31 as it is originally formed andwherein the partially formed bead has a substantially cylindrical innerside wall W (Fig. 4). Thereby, when the hold down die 42 is driven tightagainst the trim ring seated .on the anvil die 40, the inner wallportion W of the bead rib is ironed into the curved contour of the trimring body 38 by the complementary surface 47 of the hold down die.

The curling die member 43 is preferably in the form of a ring slidablyencircling the hold down die outer side wall 48. A supporting ring 49carries the curling die ring 43 and also supports the hold down die ring42. Relative movement between the hold down die ring 2 and the curlingdie ring 43 is permitted by attaching the hold down die ring 42 to thesupporting ring 49 through the medium of pins Stlwhich are slidable inappropriate bores 51 in the ring 49 and have a length to permitproje'ction of the hold down ring 42 into spaced relation to thesupporting ring 49 under the influence of compression springs 52.Respective heads 53 on the pins 53 are engageable with the top of thesupporting ring 49 to limit the distance to which the hold down ringmaymove into spaced relation to the supporting ring 49. Respective bores 54afford clearance for the pin heads 53 in a ram member 55 which carriesthe supporting ring 45.

After the partially formed trim ring 17 has been placed in the dieassembly, in centered relation on the supporting or anvil ring 40 asshown in Fig. 5, the ram 55 is driven toward the anvil ring and the holddown ring die 42 enters into hold down engagement with the trim ring andacts to iron out the inner wall W of the outer peripheral bead rib ofthe trim ring. In the further movement of the ram 55, the clearancebetween the supporting ring 49 and the hold down ring 42 is reduced tothe extent necessary for the curling die ring 43 to enter into beadcurling engagement with the turned edge 31. The curling ring has acurling groove 57 in its lower curling face adjacent to its inner walland in effect merging with the forming surface of the hold down die Asthe curling surface defining the groove 57 in the die ring 43 appliescurling pressure to the turned edge 31, the supporting or anvil ring 40and more particularly the peripheral ridge 45 thereof supports theengaged portion of the body 37 of the trim ring member 17 againstdownward buckling and the surface 47 of the hold down die ring 42 holdsthe trim ring against inward buckling and the turned edge is turned downupon itself and the outer wall portion thereof is curled inwardly.

As an incident to curling of the bead 31, the cover retaining extensiontabs or fingers 32 are swung inwardly to their permanent operativeposition in substantial engagement with the body portion 37 of the trimring, as seenin Fig. 6. At this time, also, the inner side of the headis tilted in generally radially outward direction and generally towardthe finger tabs, as is clearly evident on comparison of Fig. 6 with Fig.5. This moves the complete bead radially outwardly into substantiallyconcealing relation to the retaining fingers 32.

Clearance for the fingers 32 as they are swung inwardly is afforded byappropriate clearance spaces, cut out sections or notches 58 in thesupporting or anvil die ridge 45. Thereby the major extent of the" outermargin of the trim ring inwardly from the bead 31 is supported by theanvil die ring '40 but freedom for inward swinging of the fingers 32 tothe diagonal slanting position finally assumed" thereby is amplyaccommodated.

After the bead 31 has been completed and the fingers 32 swung into theirpermanent position, the trim ring is released from the beading andfinger positioning die assembly and may be subjected to a sizing die asis conventional' practice in beading operations.

After the hub cap and trim ring members have been completed, they may beprovided with suitable external finish as desired.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a forming die assembly for vehicle wheel covers, a supporting diefor underlying a wheel cover blank and having a ring-shaped upwardlyfacing element provided with an upwardly facing contoured coverreceiving surface and an annular outer peripheral upwardly directed ribwith portions thereof at spaced intervals recessed and providingupwardly and outwardly opening clearances interrupting the peripheralcontinuity of the rib, a hold-down ring member reciprocably cooperativewith said supporting ring member to clamp a cover blank between therings, and a third ring die member relatively reciprocably related toboth of said first mentioned ring members and operative upon anupstanding marginal hollow downwardly opening rib having an outer marginwith downwardly extending finger extensions on the cover blank and withthe cover rib overlying said die rib in upwardly spaced relation, saidthird ring die member having a continuous annular curling groove withinwhich the cover blank rib is engaged for turning the outer margin ofsaid cover blank rib inwardly under the cover blank rib and for swingingthe downwardly extending finger extensions on said outer margin intosaid clearance recesses while the die rib intermediate said recessessupports the cover blank solidly during action of said third ring diemember.

2. In apparatus for making wheel covers, a die bed carrying thereon anupwardly facing supporting die ring for reception thereon of a Wheelcover blank with an upstanding peripheral rib and downwardly projectingfinger extensions on the outer margin of the rib, the outer uppermarginal portion of said supporting die ring comprising an upwardlydirected rib for underlying the inner side of said cover blank rib inspaced relation and having radially outwardly opening recessedclearances for reception of said fingers, and a ram assembly including aresiliently' supported holddown ring cooperable with said supporting diering to clamp the cover blank therebetween and a fixed shaping die ringabout the outer periphery of said hold down ring and having a continuousannular curling surface engageable sequentially thereafter with theupstanding marginal rib of the cover blank to operate thereon forturning the outer margin of the cover blank rib under and inwardlyrelative to the top of the cover blank rib and to move said fingerextensions into said recesses.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,590,749 Hulbert June 29, 1926 1,597,978 Hulbert Aug. 31, 19262,089,518 Williams Aug. 10, 1937 2,162,734 Lyon June 20, 1939 FOREIGNPATENTS 435,784 Great Britain Sept. 27, 1935

